November 15, 2017

Reality (Or The Perception Thereof) May Overwhelm Roy Moore

But over the past few days, Bannon has begun privately taking the temperature of those in his inner circle to see what they think of the Moore allegations and to get their sense of how to proceed, according to four knowledgeable sources. Late last week, the Breitbart chairman said, “I will put him in a grave myself,” if he determines that Moore was lying to him about the numerous accusations, a source close to Bannon relayed.

Bannon emphasized, to both friends and colleagues, that he’s uncomfortable with the charges of sexual harassment and child molestation that have been levelled at Moore. But he wasn’t convinced that the initial flood of on-record testimony, starting with the first Washington Poststory last week, was anything more than a hit job. And he believes it may have been planted by #NeverTrump operatives to put the screws to Moore’s campaign.

Several of Bannon’s most trusted allies have already told him that it would be “insane,” as one put it, to believe at this point that the Moore accusations are baseless. They have also warned that the time is rapidly approaching when he would have to disavow Moore before it appeared as though he was simply caving to political pressure. (Critics of Bannon, of course, argue he should never have backed Moore in the first place.)

There is nothing trickier than a shameless, opportunistic hit job with a basis in fact. Especially when the 'facts' are impossible to verify or refute.

To be honest TM, either one of us could concoct an equally plausible smear against anyone on the planet. The trick is having the Media, an opposition party with zero scruples or morals, and some past due date pols in your own party clinging to power. You could destroy a candidate for saying the Earth is an oblate spheroid orbiting the Sun with that lineup. In this case that may be what's happening. Payback will be bitch either way.

Yes I do. Brand: Mother Earth Minerals; minimum dose per day: 1 tbsp. I tip the bottle over a pint of water and let 3 or 4 drops get in. Drink about 10 pints a day with drops in each bottle.

Another brand I've tried and still use as a change of pace (put it in my lemonade--- sweetened with xylitol) is the powdered magnesium. Brand Name: CALM. It comes in yummy flavors. Seems to be equally effective.

Wow! I haven't been happy with Bannon's loudly proclaimed 'war' on the Democrats since he left the White House. I know he's supposed to be a political genius, but I wish he'd been more of a stealth bomber in his approach.

No, waffling and dumping Moore is bad for his optics.

I hate the word 'optics' but that's what the treacherous media grabs and spins daily, relentlessly, maliciously.

If Bannon had kept his mouth shut about his campaign and had simply gone ahead, slicing and cutting his way to electing conservatives, he wouldn't be leading the drudge report with a 'whore' Moore and looking not unlike a fool.

I might have to eat my words at election time, but I haven't liked Bannon's public persona during the past few weeks.

Sources close to Breitbart News chairman Stephen Bannon insist he is sticking by embattled Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore (R) even as high-profile conservatives cut ties with the candidate less than a month before Election Day.

Make the case or STFU. The case has been made re Menendez and who gives a flyin u know what?

Why is it that the Republican conservative right has to be morally upright and the Left can get away with murder--- literally.

Ya, I know the Alinsky meme about holding the opposition to their own standards and smash them over their alleged hypocrisy.

But for heaven's sake, how is it that a liberal housewife can turn a blind eye to the absolute perverted nature of Progressive icons even when said icons aren't pontificating biblical platitudes to live by like our buddy Moore is doing.

BTW, this should help our guys get clear about wearing their religious beliefs on their sleeves for the sake of cultivating voter support. Just because you can doesn't mean that you should.

All I know is that any time Gloria Allred raises her slimy head it is a coordinated hit job.

Someone has to drive a stake through her heart and shoot her with a silver bullet and then disperse the ashes across the solar system. Only then will we be sure that that evil toad doesn't come back to haunt us.

Her spawn seems to have done herself in with the Weinstein scandal, thank goodness.

BTW, this should help our guys get clear about wearing their religious beliefs on their sleeves for the sake of cultivating voter support. Just because you can doesn't mean that you should.

I totally disagree. Why can't Christians be represented in Congress?

We've got politicians in DC standing up for a business that was caught illegally selling scalps!
Good Lord....mentally ill men that want to chop of their penis have politicians standing up for their desires.

We need MORE Bible believing Christians & Jews speaking out.

The left wear their secular religious ideas on their sleeves for voter support.

Just for info, this Ed Rollins idea was lost in my long transcripts yesterday:

Ed Rollins:...The write in would be difficult if Moore stays. What you'd need to do is basically move the present 'pro-tem' Senator who's been appointed, move him out, have Sessions be appointed, have the Governor postpone the Election until 2018, and let Sessions sit there for awhile and be prepared to run for Re-Election.

Ed Rollins: ...The write in would be difficult if Moore stays. What you'd need to do is basically move the present 'pro-tem' Senator who's been appointed, move him out, have Sessions be appointed, have the Governor postpone the Election until 2018, and let Sessions sit there for awhile and be prepared to run for Re-Election.

I suspect it'd raise a Constitutional crisis.

The Alabama SecState has already said that he is not certain if the governor has the legal authority to change the date of the special election a second time. In a unique situation like this what is the moral, ethical and legal thing to do? The large majority of Alabama citizens obviously want someone with conservative values to represent them in the Senate. Since Alabama overwhelmingly supported Trump in 2016, we also want someone who will support the Trump agenda and not thwart it (which is one reason why Moore beat Strange in the first place).
The way i see it, my Constitutional civil rights will be violated if I am not allowed to vote for someone who I want to represent me in the Senate. I don't care what the current state laws say about replacing Moore on the ballot with someone else. If the state law violates my Constitutional right to vote for who i want to represent me in Congress then the law is unconstitutional. If Moore decides to step down, then IMO the moral/ethical/legal thing for the governor to do is to reschedule the special election until early 2018. If a Democrat does not think she has that authority they can file a lawsuit to try and prevent it from happening. The Alabama Supreme Court can then rule on it.

But he wasn’t convinced that the initial flood of on-record testimony, starting with the first Washington Post story last week, was anything more than a hit job. And he believes it may have been planted by #NeverTrump operatives to put the screws to Moore’s campaign.

This is the sort of thing Bannon does that is, well, self-defeating. He assumes the story is #nevertrump (the greater enemy, it seems), when Democrat makes the most sense. For example, Moore was a Democrat when this stuff was going on, working with other Democrats. This puts the Alabama Dems in possession of the information of the gossip that got this ball rolling with WaPo.

Oh one thing. McConnell was chairman of the committee that recommended the expulsion of Bob Packwood for sexual harassment charges. This may not be just about power for him -- surprisingly.

Tom R "If Moore decides to step down, then IMO the moral/ethical/legal thing for the governor to do is to reschedule the special election until early 2018."

But that is a very slippery slope. Then what stops them from rescheduling any similar election by simply getting one guy or the other to drop out on whatever reason works at the time? Also, Moore's opponent is dutifully campaigning and spending pursuant to a schedule...moving that date would not be fair.

Porch, I'm not arguing with you, I'm just thinking about how Bannon affects me. I like his mind, but I thought he was going to travel and visit different states and be like a panther -- sleek and devastating with a sophisticated message and approach. Building up support on college campuses and town halls, until he and his candidates were so powerful they couldn't distort the conservative agenda he's seeking. Guess I wanted him to be magic man, a 007, so that he could not be painted as an object of ridicule.

I know that most of you will say that's what the left and media will do and have done anyway, I just wanted Bannon to be superior in his methods.

Great opening question from FOX Host David to Jim Jordan. First David plays clips of Jordan questioning Sessions yesterday that we've all seen, then says this:

FOX Host David: That was Atty General Jeff Sessions yesterday telling Ohio republican Congressman Jim Jordan his thoughts on what would be needed to trigger the appointment of a new Special Counsel to investigate Hillary Clinton and DNC and FBI connections to Russia. Here now is Congressman Jim Jordan who was leading that conversation. Boy, terrific questions you asked of the Attorney General yesterday. Congrats! Now he says "Looks Like" is not enough for a Special Counsel, but isn't that exactly what was used to appoint Robert Mueller?

Jim Jordan: Yeah!

FOX Host David: I mean there was no crime, it's just things "looked like" there was a Russia Connection.

Janet--- You might want to reread what I *did* say. You're in disagreement with somebody else in a different discussion.

I don't want to be represented based on my identity-- be it Catholic, Mexican American, Navajo, Tarahumara, etc....

I want to be represented based on my rights as a United States citizen as guaranteed by the US Constitution.

Looking after my own interests as Catholic and all the rest are my responsibility and is quite doable if my representatives in government do their job by the book.

If a representative is a devout atheist but follows the Constitution and the spirit of that body of law, then I can handle him/her having their personal set of beliefs.

But if they are going to legislate based on those beliefs--- actually it would be based on his/her interpretation of those beliefs and all the limited understanding that implies--- we have a problem.

We are a Christian nation. Got it. But it doesn't mean that organized Christian-based denominations are any less naked lobbying factions than any other.

Making the personal political is common ground with Marxist dogma.

Here in Berkeley I can hammer on Marxist bureaucrats who work for non-profits earning six figure salaries preaching "sustainability" while they live like minor royalty. Do Marxists have the right to be represented in Congress? Sure. Why not. But when those beliefs are pushed based on the representative's interpretation of said beliefs we are in deep kimchee.

What does the Constitution say? Does it say abortion is right or wrong? Or does it say "nothing" and therefore it is not under the purview of government. And if it is not under the purview of government, then the money for it dries up and the factories have to close. But do abortion mongers have the "right" to be represented in Congress--- sure. But as Americans, not abortion mongers.

Same goes for any stripe one can think of. I think it was Madison who warned of the danger of "Factions." Churches and denominations are factions; moreover, they are factions with money.

My faith is my business and I am the only one who needs to represent it by demonstrating that faith in how I live. Walking around proclaiming my beliefs--- what good is that? And besides the obvious lack of violence involved, how are such proclamations any different from the very public Aloha Snackbar proclamations being made.

Jim Jordan as usual lays out the straightforward connections of Team Hillary and the Left working via the Law Firm and the DNC and the FBI to pay money to FUSION/GPS, which we know was paying Russians for dirt on Trump. Explains well why Session's refusal to answer questions of who paid who were unsatisfactory. Jordan also finishes by telling us that he still has not talked to the FBI informant, which obviously is going to give him further ammunition in his quest to get Sessions to get off his ass or get out of the way and let someone take over who will do something.

The left wear their secular religious ideas on their sleeves for voter support.
Posted by: Janet 🚬

And look where it has taken us.

The stronger way is to use the Constitution to steer our Nation lest we cater to the whim of factions which carried the recent round of elections.

We've got to start somewhere sometime. And it might as well be us because the next generation doesn't seem to have the knowledge base to know the difference between Communism and the system of government in the United States.

That approach would get government out of the "CAUSE FINANCING" business based on the whims of the factions in power.

Take taxpayer money out of these interests and the cause dries up. POTUS has started doing so--- and should do so to the extreme. Because every faction receiving federal largesse becomes "a power base".

And the fracturing of the Nation continues.

I've seen some of those well-heeled and connected Bobos affiliated with Liberty University down in Lynchburg VA where Pa lives.

Egad. They represent something worthy? Their speech, demeanor, and acts are as far from Christlike as a hawk from the moon. How much can they get done without federal student loan programs and mortgage loan subsidies?

None of your bidness, right? You have no vote. So why are you still discussing what Alabama should do? Are you planning on leaving Potomac and the bluffs of Nantucket for sharing a berth on Beasts man-boat?

Jack, you read too much into my comments. My hot button is seeing all of DC go crazy trying to tell Alabamians what to do. And all because they didn't like what Alabamians already did to the Club's pre-approved selection.

No doubt what the Club and the GOPe contingent does to that state, and with whatever tawdry tools they decide to use to get their way is all of our bidness.

I too suffer from shooting blood pressure in the doctor's office, and I only in the last year convinced her that at home with the cuff, a make she approved, I was okay. She takes the high numbers in her presence a little personally, though I have assured her that her office is the most serene, and she the most serene herself, among my experience of offices and practitioners! I may be allergic to "serene";
there's sometime an agenda (see, say, academia). Orwell gave an intro lesson in why serenity is not one's top goal. Good for BP though.

Rush Limbaugh was saying earlier that there is language in the Tax Bill that restores and legalizes the illegal ObamaCare subsidies that go to the Insurance companies, which Trump put a halt to last month. The new language would legalize those giveaways. Can't verify it, but such Congressional chicanery certainly wouldn't surprise me.

At a press conference Moore's attorney says: Nelson and Allred both said 'they'd never seen or had contact with Judge Moore. However, Judge Moore was the judge on Nelson's divorce case.

Moore flatly denies writing in the yearbook. Moore's attorney says they're asking for a handwriting expert to examine the original writing in the yearbook. He's commenting on the sevens and some initials that are suspect.

Moore's attorney is demanding the yearbook be released and asks, "is the handwriting real or is it a fraud?"

Now another man is handing out copies of the divorce papers that show Roy Moore's signature, which is different than he's ever used.

I too suffer from shooting blood pressure in the doctor's office, and I only in the last year convinced her that at home with the cuff, a make she approved,

Catsmeat,

My Flight Surgeon swears that our BP readings go up easily 10 points or more just from sitting in his office, since High BP readings for us can get us downed and clobber our livelihoods. Thats why we all hunt for Flight Surgeons who have a loose cuff and are on our side instead of on the side of the FAA Nazis.

Ragging on ya! To prove my point that this election is OUR business as Americans. If we have a chance to pass even a mediocre part of Trump's agenda to MAGA then we have to do it. If Moore is part of the equation and not a variable to be determined later, then we need to do everything to support him including money (if you have it).

Good,we're the only ones in the world who condone the gestapo like tactics of those nasty little Jews.And trust me,we give them so much money we could probably drop bombs on them and their greedy little Jew hearts would forgive us.

Posted by: DublinDaveForever | July 30, 2015 at 10:02 AM

I think people misunderstand dublindave's intent in comments like this. Sometimes he plays into the caricature of a lefty on purpose, as if to agree with us that yeah, they're antisemitic. He did a similar thing with Saint Trayvon.

I know the consensus is that he should be banned, and I'm fine with being overruled by the majority on that, but I think his comments are more sly than your average troll.

I knew you were, Jack. And for just the reason you say. But truth is I'd take my chances with Roy Moore in a poke over a known GOPe stooge of McConnell. And for damn sure I don't want McConnell to think he gets to hand pick "elected" senators.

I always go back to smug Harry Reid's comment after Romney lost, partly because of the tax return stuff Harry made up... "Well, he didn't win, did he?"

If the ink can be shown to be fairly new, as opposed to 40 years old, plus the additional evidence of only Deborah Allen signing "Roy Moore D.A." then the accusation crumbles plus we get Gloria Alred on forgery, which is a nice thought.

This is the first piece of actual physical evidence which can be examined.

We will now get to see Gloria act all huffy and indignant while trying to figure out how to avoid releasing the yearbook.

I have been watching an ESPNU production of the Manning Family and it is interesting as hell for me. I once played behind Archie and the boys at National. Those guys including Cooper are long, long, long off the tee. All 3 of the boys drove the first and second hole - short 300+ yard par 4's and were able to reach the Himalyas easily.

Afterwards, in the bar and grill, we met them and they are the most humble, modest interesting guys you could ever have a conversation with but you know they have that special tinkle in their eye. Hell, they were payed big money by the NFL to never grow up.

Ron Johnson opposes the Senate Tax Bill because it screws all corps except "c" corps. Per WSJ (in front of firewall), the house bill tries to do the 25% business tax rate on pass through income, but the Senate bill does not. This is important. (Note, my firm is a c Corp, so I'm good either way).

Joan, for the last week I have played nothing in my office but music from my iPad and at night we are just watching old eps of ER. I have reached sensory overload on hearing or seeing politicians or media people who talk about them.

I learn more than enough from MM's early morning links and what the rest of you add to that.

This is the description of a colloquium that DrF is at this afternoon. The speaker is an education professor.

Title: A Transcendental Concept of Ecological Identity: Extending Intersectionality to the Nonhuman

Abstract: This presentation will explore select works of Alice Walker and Ralph Waldo Emerson as a way to understand a more ecological and egalitarian concept of identity. By conceptualizing identity in a way that challenges the anthropocentric and hierarchical human/nonhuman binary, both Walker and Emerson articulate a spiritual and ontological worldview that is eco-centric, extending relationality to other-than-human beings. By embracing the nonhuman--in both the immortal soul, or “over-soul,” and in the biosphere--ecological identity compels us to think more holistically and inclusively about intersectionality as entanglements and relations that extend beyond our own species. The implications of this analysis, as demonstrated in Walker’s work in particular, disrupt societal structures and oppressive ideologies that reinforce othering in the form of dehumanization.

I'm especially interested in rse's take on this, after she stops retching. (It's really pretty awful, isn't it...) I think that DrF, who is a natural moderate, might finally be getting hip to why these people are not flakes but seriously dangerous.

OL, Yes, I've quit everything but Lou Dobbs and about 30 minutes of Varney. He has a chipper attitude most days, and Dobbs is so strong and opinionated (and I agree with those opinions.) We do watch the local early morning news to see who's been robbed or burgled or murdered or apprehended in a high-speed chase, but I flip to Fox Business when the threesome at CBS appear.

Dobbs and Varney don't have obligatory leftists appear -- and I believe I'd flip out if I had to listen to 30 seconds of any of the lying jackasses.

Coincidentally, a Catholic blog site I follow had an article today on whether animals have souls, and postulated the idea of different types of souls, and so forth.

Sometimes I wonder if a memo goes out to everyone about the topic of the month or something. I expect it in the news media, but it seems odd when I see theological and educational groups operating the same way.

Yes, all education programs should be abolished--tomorrow. The damage they have caused us incalculable. Actually, instead of tomorrow I would prefer tanks rolling in in the dead of night, as per Zimbabwe. Emerson would be very, very annoyed at this misuse of his ideas--he definitely thought people were the height of the created world (they are, by the way), even though he lingered, again and again, painfully and beautifully, on the cruelties of the created world as it stood (he was a Unitarian, so he was not accepting a Christian view of a redeemed fallen world).

We've been streaming shows from amazon and netflix the past year or so -- every night. I'll bet we watched every episode of Inspector Lewis and Vera three or four times this past year. I liked Happy Valley, Bosch, Marcella, Line of Duty, Luther, Swedish & English Wallander (though I hate the endings), and a whole lot more that my husband won't watch, so I flip over to things he doesn't like after he goes to bed. We've been watching all of the Frasier episodes since last summer, too.

There was a new show on Netflix I started last week, Wanted -- it's Australian, and for about four episodes, I thought it was almost brilliant for sustaining surprises and action. Toward the last two, I thought one of the main puzzles was sort of ordinary, though I still liked the characters and show.

Last night I paid for us to watch 'Wind River' on amazon (too much money, but some nights I don't want to think) -- and, at first my husband didn't like it, but it picked up, especially last half. I really like Jeremy Renner. The lead female FBI person, Elizabeth Olson, was good, too.

My husband only has vision in one eye, and since his accident isn't seeing as well as he used to so he can't read and doesn't like audio books. We listen to music, but have such different tastes. It's been interesting to me how much football we use to watch (Sun., Mon., Thurs. Sat.) -- forgoing that has left us with holes to fill. :) Plus, when he worked, he went to bed fairly early because of his long commute. Now I have to entertain him. Thank goodness for amazon and netflix.

Well remember, this was orchestrated in part by the GOPe for no other reason that to stop MAGA and stay in power.

If Moore manages to take the day will be a testament to the awareness of the voters down there, but the odds are that they will be taken in by the Alinskyite tactics. It is sad that this sort of tactic still has any power at all. I imagine that we should prepare for a loss here. This is just like what they did to Stevens (sp?) up in Alaska a while back. One would think that the electorate would finally wise up after all we have been through.

The GOP is thumbing their noses at all of us. One would think that there is considerable risk in all of this to them, but they appear to think otherwise.

Why is that? Makes one wonder.

This childish display we now have seen for over a year is really getting to be too much. DId i say childish? It is really more psychotic than childish. Are we really that weak that we cannot see through it? Can they just keep battering at Trump and his supporters over and over again, finally winning just by pure determined noise and lies?

The reaction of the GOP is just shameful, but does not surprise had one been paying attention. The truth is that if they had stood up in the beginning and called this our for the electioneering lie that it is it would have all subsided quickly. That the did not proves, at least to me, that they were in on it from the very beginning.

Do they realize the precedents they have set up here?

It will be used on them too. Evidently they do not care. Sandbagging Trump and screwing real Americans seems to be all that matters. How sad we are "ruled" by such people. It is like living in a conquered nation.

They would rather support a Democrat that support one of their own party. They would rather see the Democrat take control of the Hill rather than support the Trump agenda.

And the very sad thing is that Trumps agenda would just seem like obvious campaign issues even 25 years ago. He really sounds like a 60's/70's era Democrat in a lot of ways. That is how far we have wandered the last 20 year.